Baby Hofstadter
by ColeMermaid3000
Summary: Set after the end of Season 12. This story takes place with a heavily pregnant Penny.
1. Chapter 1

**Hi all and welcome to my newest favourite couple. After watching start to finish the entire 12 seasons of The Big Bang Theory, I decided I wasn't quite ready to let Leonard and Penny. It was challenging to find many Lenny fanfiction. And here is the result of that. I decided to start at the end of the pregnancy but will write a prequel to this fanfiction at some point. So keep your eyes peeled. I hope you enjoy. :D **

**05/12/2019 3.34am**

It was the middle of the night in the Hofstadter household. "Leonard?" Penny spoke. "Leonard?!" She asked.

"Huh, what's going on, is the baby okay?" He frantically woke up, searching for his glasses on his night stand. "And why is my leg wet?" He asked, putting his glasses on straight. "Either I've just wet the bed or my waters have broke."

"Oh my god. We need to get you to the hospital. I thought you said you thought those were braxton hicks earlier."

"Yeah, well what do I know. Help me up I need some dry clothes." Penny asked, struggling to sit herself up with such a large baby bump. Leonard pulled on his track bottoms and went round to help Penny up. He grabbed her some clean panties, shorts and a new nightgown, and her favorite fluffy socks. "Here let me help, take the wet ones off and we'll get you dressed." Penny huffed. As much as she loved Leonard helping her, she hated letting him do it, but then again, she couldn't reach her own feet to put socks on anymore so she didn't have much choice. He helped her to step into her shorts, and gently pulled her socks on, noticing how swollen and sore her ankles looked. "All good?"

"You mean apart from the pain radiating from my uterus, yeah great." She smiled sarcastically.

"Come on, let's get you to the emergency room." Leonard said, picking up their hospital bag. He took Penny's hand and led them out of the apartment, picking his keys up before shutting the door. "Hey, at least the elevators working." He smiled.

"If not, you would've been carrying my a-a." Penny held onto the wall as a contraction began," she breathed "It's okay, I'm fine."

"Good, we should get moving." They waited for the elevator and as soon as it arrived, entered and headed down to the ground floor. Leonard opened the door, holding it for Penny to pass through, who was cradling her bump, before exiting and pressing on his car keys to open the car. He tossed the bag into the trunk, before opening the door for Penny, and helping her lower herself in slowly. They headed towards the hospital.


	2. Chapter 2

**6/12/2019 12.47am**

Penny was sat in bed flicking through the most recent copy of Vogue, bump and all tucked neatly under a blanket. Leonard sat beside her in a chair, staring at her.

_God I hope our baby looks like her. _He thought to himself. "How you doing?" Penny put down her magazine on the table next to her bed.

"Honestly?" She said raising her eyebrows.

"Honestly." Leonard replied.

"Like a trucks trying to exit my lady parts. I mean aside from that, okay I guess. How do I look?"

"As gorgeous as ever." He said, stroking the loose hairs out of her face, kissing her cheek gently.

"You're too sweet."

"That's why you call me sweetie." Leonard joked.

"Oh ha-ha." She smiled. Shortly after, Penny's doctor entered the room. Penny and Leonard both looked towards the door. He stood when he noticed who it was. "Ill give you some privacy again?" The doctor smiled and nodded, heading towards Penny so she could check how dilated she was. After she had finished, she invited Leonard back into the room.

"I'm very sorry." The doctor began "Unfortunately it doesn't seemed your body has responded to the medication. Things haven't moved along as we would have expected and for sometime now. I think it's time we booked you in for an emergency c-section." Penny looked shocked. She had dreaded this would happen. Leonard noticed her reaction, and rubbed her shoulder gently "It'll be fine. They do this every day."

"I'll give you a short while alone whilst I prepare everything. I'll come back when were ready to medicate you and take you down to theater."

"Thank you" Leonard said, smiling ad the doctor left the room. He looked towards Penny, she looked shocked and concerned and upset. He climbed onto the hospital bed beside her, wrapping his arms around her. "It'll be fine. I'll be right with you. You wont feel a thing."

"And I'll be left with an ugly scar for the rest of my life. I suck at everything Leonard, even my stupid body can't get child birth right."

"Hey, that's not true. Besides it'll all be worth it when you hear that little one, then they'll lay them on your chest. None of that will matter so long as they get here safely. Its what's best for both of you." Penny sighed. Shutting her eyes, soaking in the silence for awhile. Suddenly she felt a contraction on the way, and reached for Leonard's hand, opening her eyes. "Its okay, just breathe, it'll be over in a minute." He calmly said, "Just breathe." She tightened her grip, breathing heavily through the contraction, until it began to pass. Penny sighed again, shutting her eyes, releasing Leonard's hand. She began to well up. "Leonard?" She whispered.

"Yeah?"

"I'm scared." Penny wiped her eyes with the back of her hand.

"I know you are." Leonard wrapped his arms back around his wife, tightly. "Come right here." She moved towards him, resting her head in the crook of his neck. He pressed his lips into her hair. "You're the strongest woman I know, you can do this, and like I said you're going to be fine. It's a minor thing for them."

" But.."

"No buts. It will all be fine."

"Okay." They sat silent for awhile. "Can you help me stand? I want to walk around whilst I still can."

"Sure." Leonard stood up first, giving penny the room to swing her legs off the side of the hospital bed. Then she began to feel another contraction. Just from her response, once again he knew exactly what to do. He sat down on the edge of the bed beside her, taking her hand in his own, and rubbing her back gently with his other hand. "You're doing great." He smiled. When the contraction was over, he helped her to her feet, holding her hand as they walked towards the window. Penny held one hand on her bump.

"What time is it?" She asked.

Leonard checked his watch, "Almost 1am."

"This labour has been going on for way too long."

"And that's why they're going to get it over with soon." Right on cue the doctor entered the room, with a nurse behind.

"Hi, Mr and Mrs, Hofstadter." She began. The couple turned and headed back towards the bed. "So, were going to have to give you an epidural Penny, it means you wont be able to feel anything from your waist downwards. That's so in surgery, you'll only be able to feel small amount of pressure whilst we perform the c section. You wont be able to see, well have a sheet, and Mr Hofstadter you'll be able to sit with your wife and provide comfort. We want to make this as comfortable as possible for you, we understand this isn't your choice of birthing options." Penny and Leonard nodded, then looked at each other. He squeezed her hand in reassurance. "We'll need to numb the area of the epidural first, before we can administer it, and then we'll wheel you down to the operating room." The doctor smiled. "If you can sit on the bed for us penny and we'll get that all sorted for you."

A few injections later, followed by a very large needle that made Leonard uncomfortable, not that he displayed that to Penny. She was ready to go. The nurse lay the bed flat, and put a cap over Penny's hair. Leonard was handed a similar pair of scrubs to put on before the entered the theater. The nurse unlocked the bed, and began to wheel her to the operating room.

Once Penny was in the room, Leonard was given a chair to sit beside her head. He held her hand tightly, and brushed the stray hairs from her face. She was extremely nervous, Leonard was too. Once all the final preparations were done, and Penny was hooked up to the monitors, and the epidural had been given plenty of time to kick in, they began the procedure.


	3. Chapter 3

There was a gasp, and then a small wail, which turned into a beautiful cry. Leonard couldn't help but begin to let his emotion show, he began to cry, smiling all the while. Penny smiled slightly, slightly hazy from all the medication. "You can have a cuddle with little one once they're all cleaned up."

"Did you hear that Penny? I'm so proud of you." Penny murmured slightly. "Penny?" Leonard waited. "Penny? Oh my god. What's happening?" He began to panic. "Penny? Penny? Can you hear me? Penny?" In the background the monitors began to bleep rapidly. "I'm sorry, we need you out of the operating room."

"What's happening to my wife?" Leonard demanded as he began to be ushered out of the room by a nurse. Another nurse in the background had hit a buzzer. The surgeon had called for back up. "I'm sorry honey. Someone will bring the little one through and someone will come and talk to you. But right now we need you out."

"Penny?" Leonard called as the doors shut in front of him. His face was covered in concern. A nurse soon exited with the bundle of joy. "Come on. Let's go and get this little one into something warm."

"I need to be with my wife. I cant just leave her"

"I understand. I'll take this little girl through to the nursery. You come and find me when you're ready. I understand this must be a shock for you."

"Its a girl?" He whispered.

"She sure is. And she's perfect. Two beautiful blue eyes, 10 fingers and toes."

"Leonard peeked inside the bundle of blankets." The nurse gestured for him to take her. And so he did. "Let's take her to your wife's room, there's a cradle, and I'm sure you have some clothes to put her into." Leonard half- smiled. Looking up towards the operating room once again.

"Your wife, she will be fine." The nurse reassured. Leonard followed the nurse back to Penny's room.

Later, once baby girl had been dressed and was fast asleep in a crib, a doctor knocked gently before entering. Leonard was sat in the chair, head in his hands, nervously waiting for news. "So, how is she?" Leonard asked, fiddling his hands, headed towards the doctor.

"Your wife, shes going to be okay."

"Oh thank god." Leonard sighed.

"She lost a lot of blood. A lot. She's just out of theater and were just getting her stable. Once shes awake, and stable, we'll bring her back into her room."

"Thank you. Doctor." Leonard stuck out a hand, offering a handshake.

"You're welcome son." The doctor shook his hand and left the room. Leonard took baby girl from out of her crib and left the room. Flicking out the light as he did.

Leonard walked the hall talking to his little girl. Telling her all about who she was going to meet. When he finally reached the waiting room, he was met by 5 familiar faces. Raj, Amy, Sheldon, Howard and Berndette. "Hey guys." Leonard whispered.

The gang rose to their feet. "So, is it a girl or a boy?" Bernadette questioned.

"If it's a boy, I say you name him Sheldon Junior. Who wouldn't want to be named after a genius, and may I add Nobel prize winner." Sheldon chimed it.

"Let me see this little cutie pie." Raj added.

"Wait. Wheres Penny?" Amy asked.

"So things didn't go quite to plan." Leonard spoke as he sat down in the chair. Leonard began to explain why Penny could no longer have a natural birth and the complications of the cesarean. "Oh my god. Leonard I'm so sorry." Bernadette began, "that must've been terrible."

"Oh..it was." Leonard began, holding back the tears. Even Sheldon was concerned.

"You know shes in the best hands. And look, you've got a beautiful baby girl in your arms." Howard said, trying to lighten the mood and see positives of the situation.

"I know. But it was so terrifying. She was talking one minute and just completely gone the next. I cant wait until she comes back."

Leonard continued to talk with his friends for some time; until he returned to the room, for the fear of Penny being back and being left alone. He waited for hours before finally, the door pushed open.

Penny was pale. Her hair clung around the frame of her face. Dark shadows were under her eyes. She looked terrible. Leonard finally returned their baby girl to her crib. And after Penny's bed was in place, stood at the side of it, interlocking his fingers with hers, being careful not to knock or bump any of the many wires attached to her. "Hey.." he spoke softly, running his other hand through her hair, pushing it out of her face, before pressing a kiss to her forehead. Penny opened her eyes weakly. "'Hey sweetie.." she croaked. Her voice dry and quiet. "I'm sorry." She began, upset evident now in her voice. Leonard hushed her, gently rubbing her hand in an attempt to comfort her.

"It's okay, you rest." Penny shut her eyes. Taking a gentle deep breath. The pain had began to come back, the medication wearing off more and more.

Leonard looked at her, "You tell me if you need anything, and I'll grab one of the nurses."

Penny re opened her eyes. "Can I see them?"

"Of course" Leonard scooped their baby girl out if the crib. Lowering her down so penny could see her face. Noticing the pink hat penny smiled weakly. " It's a girl?"

"Our little girl" Leonard said as he sat on the edge of the bed. Penny sighed, closing her eyes once again. "Rest. I love you Penny."

" I love you too sweetie. " Leonard pressed a kiss to her forehead once more, before returning baby girl to her crib, and seating himself in the chair right next to Penny. Her intertwined their fingers and lay his head on the bed. " Thank god I didn't lose you...Thank god."


	4. Chapter 4

6/12/2019 3.56pm

Penny had been asleep for awhile now. Leonard had carefully tucked the blankets around her, and sat between her bed and the babies crib. Holding Penny's hand, he gently ran his fingers over her knuckles, so softly it didn't wake her. He wondered what they would name their baby girl. He couldnt wait for Penny to come back around, it was so strange her being so quiet. The only sound in the room the soft beeping of the heart rate monitor attached to Penny.

All of a sudden baby girl began to squirm, wriggling around under her pale pink blankets. Her eyes slowly opened as she woke up. Leonard stood up from his seat, and leant over the crib, letting his baby girl take hold of his finger. "Hey baby girl." Then she began to softly cry. "Hey, hey... Shush shush shush." Leonard began, as he scooped her up out of the crib. "You getting hungry little miss. Let's get those nurses to get you some milk." Leonard lent over the bed and pressed the buzzer to signal a nurse.

Penny began to stir, groaning in her sleep as she moved slightly. Leonard turned to her, whilst rocking baby girl in his arms. Once he was certain she wasn't waking up he moved towards the door, so the crying didn't wake her. He knew she needed to rest. He opened the door gently, and was met by a nurse. Leonard closed it softly behind him with a gentle click.

"How can I help honey? You buzzed." The nurse smiled.

"I think she might be hungry but obviously we cant breastfeed right now. Do you have formula?"

"Of course we do. Would you like me to take.?" The nurse waited for a name.

"Oh. She doesn't have a name yet. Just baby girl Hofstadter."

"I see. Well let me take baby girl, ill give her another bottle and settle her in the nursery for you. You need to rest too honey."

Leonard smiled, as much as he felt bad for letting his baby girl go, the nurse was right. He was exhausted, both emotionally and physically. He handed baby girl over carefully. "Thank you."

"No problem. Go and rest and be with your wife." Leonard smiled again. Opening the door and sitting back down beside Penny.

After he sat, he pressed a kiss gently into Penny's hand, before reclining the chair back and lying down. "I'm right here if you need me." He whispered, knowing she was fast asleep and couldn't even hear him. Leonard told himself it would just be for a moment, a nap. But soon he was fast asleep beside his wife.

5.21pm

"Leonard?" Penny whimpered out. "Leonard please wake up." She pleaded. He stirred slightly, giving Penny some hope. Her voice was still quiet and hoarse. She tried to reach over to him, straining as she did. She led back against the pillows. "Oh god it hurts so bad." She cried to herself. She tried once more. Stretching out her arm to try and nudge him. She was just about able to poke his arm. "Leonard!" She tried to yell. Penny lent back against her pillows, breathing heavily in excruciating pain. Leonard finally up, as soon as he noticed Penny and her breathing he sprung into action. "What's the matter?"

"It hurts Leonard. God it hurts."

"Its okay, I'll get the doctor." Leonard stood and hit the buzzer button. He returned to Penny's side. "I'm sure its nothing. Everything will be fine." He tried to reassure her. Her breathing was shakey as she tried to calm herself down. The more worked up she got she knew the worse it would be. "The doctors are on their way. Do you wanna lie down flat? Would that help?"

"I-I think so."

"Okay, we can do that." Leonard picked up the remote for the electrical bed, and slowly began to recline it. "You're doing great sweetie. Just keep breathing through it. It'll be fine." Once the bed was flat he sat beside her rubbing his fingers over hers. The doctor entered, and cane towards the bed.

"How can I help?"

"My wife she seems to be in a lot of pain and discomfort. Could you take a look? Is this normal?"

"Let me take a look." The doctor paged for a nurse to bring in some additional dressings. He sanitized his hands and pulled on a pair of gloves. "Here, let me take a look." The doctor gently pulled the blankets down slightly and pulled up Penny's night dress. The dressing had some brown marks on it. Nothing unusual the doctor commented. "We'll take this dressing off and put a new one on, ill check nothing odd is going on with the stitches and make sure there's no signs of infection."

"Thanks Doc," Leonard said. Leonard tightly squeezed Penny's hands. Her eyes were squeezed tightly shut, she was focusing on calming her breathing. Just like in her yoga. The nurse had arrived with a trolley full of cleaning solution, bandages and everything else you could imagine. The doctor carefully peeled the first layer of dressing back, and another until he got to the final layer. He gently peeled the gauze back, revealing a large row of stitches. Leonard looked away, and made himself fixate of Penny's face. the doctor spoke a few instructions to the nurse. "The good news is there doesn't seem to be any signs of infection, no signs of a blood clot. The bad news is it seems a few of the stitches have popped. Luckily nothing serious, just a few towards the edge. We will have to re-do those, i'll need to inject a small amount of anesthetic." Penny opened her eyes and sighed. "Okay." The nurse handed the doctor a small syringe which he gently injected into Penny. A few minutes later, once it had numbed the area the doctor quickly re stitched where necessary. As he began to redo the dressing he spoke," I unfortunately can't give you any stronger pain medication aside from paracetamol and ibuprofen based relief, due to breastfeeding. However ill ensure a nurse brings by medication as soon as you can have it and hope fully that will help to relieve your pain. Penny nodded. "Thank you, again doctor."

"No problem Mr and Mrs Hofstadter." Soon after the nurse and doctor left the room.

"You ready to sit back up?" Leonard asked.

"We can try."

"Just tell me, if it's too much I'll stop. Okay?" Penny nodded in response. Leonard began to move the bed back to a sitting position until Penny was once again comfortable.

"Well that was no fun." Penny half smiled, still a little groggy.

"You need to stop scaring me," Leonard joked slightly. He moved closer towards her, pressing a kiss into the top of her head. Penny moved her chin up, gesturing for a kiss on the lips. Leonard obliged, he was never able to resist her sweet requests. "Feeling a little better now?" He asked, sitting down besides her.

"I feel a little groggy. But the painkillers seem to be working, or that anesthetic hasn't worn off yet but. I'll be okay."

"I'm glad Penny. I have no idea what i'd do without you." Penny smiled. They sat in silence for awhile, just sitting by each other, eyes closed and relaxing whilst they could. Suddenly she sat up.

"So when is baby girl coming back. I haven't even held her yet."

"Ill go and get her now. If you're sure you'll be alright whilst I'm gone?" Penny nodded.

"I can take care of myself Leonard." Penny smiled.

"Actually I've got something better than taking care of yourself. Ill be right back." Penny looked at her husband, confused. She lent back into the bed taking a deep breath. Outside, Leonard texted Bernadette and Amy, and sure enough within 20 minutes they were here. "Hey Leonard!" Amy shouted. "Hey guys. Thanks for coming. She's just in there. Ill be back in a couple hours. I've got some things I need to do. You let me know if Penny needs me and ill be here before you know it."

"Leonard, we know our girl. She's my best friend. We can handle it." Amy shrugged him off.

"Bernadette?" Leonard asked, raising his eyebrows.

"The second Penny needs you, we'll call. Got it!" She gave him a mini salute before heading into Penny's room.


End file.
